Difference between revisions of "Sfalassa Bridge"

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Crisscrossing the Lucanian and Calabrian Apennines mountain range in southern Italy is the Autostrada Napoli-Reggio Calabria or A3 motorway.  Built in several sections throughout the 1970s, it stretches 300 miles (483 kms) from Napoli to the tip of Italy’s boot near the island of Sicily.  With dozens of tunnels and towering bridges, it is a showcase of Italian engineering.  The last few miles of the motorway traverse some of the most spectacular coastal terrain in all of Italy.  Crossing the deepest of these ravines is the Sfalassa gorge bridge, the highest and longest span frame bridge in the world.  Rising 820 feet (250 mtrs) above the canyon floor, the bridge was the 3rd highest in the world upon its opening in 1974.  The main span measures 1,181 feet (360 mtrs) between the pins of the two 500 foot (152 mtr) long angled box beam struts.  
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Crisscrossing the Lucanian and Calabrian Apennines mountain range in southern Italy is the Autostrada Napoli-Reggio Calabria or A3 motorway.  Built in several sections throughout the 1970s, it stretches 300 miles (483 kms) from Napoli to the tip of Italy’s boot near the island of Sicily.  With dozens of tunnels and towering bridges, it is a showcase of Italian engineering.  The last few miles of the motorway traverse some of the most spectacular coastal terrain in all of Italy.  Crossing the deepest of these ravines is the Sfalassa gorge bridge, the highest and longest span frame bridge in the world.  Rising 820 feet (250 mtrs) above the canyon floor, the bridge was the 3rd highest in the world upon its opening in 1974.  The main span measures 1,181 feet (360 mtrs) between the pins of the two 500 foot (152 mtr) long angled box beam struts.  
 
 
 
A frame bridge combines elements of an arch bridge and a beam bridge.  In an arch bridge, the support follows a continuous curve from one foundation to another.  In a frame bridge, the road deck is supported by two inclined piers that are straight.  These two struts usually support 3 horizontal beam spans that carry the roadway on top.   
 
A frame bridge combines elements of an arch bridge and a beam bridge.  In an arch bridge, the support follows a continuous curve from one foundation to another.  In a frame bridge, the road deck is supported by two inclined piers that are straight.  These two struts usually support 3 horizontal beam spans that carry the roadway on top.   

Revision as of 05:01, 4 October 2009

Sfalassa Bridge
Viadotto Sfalassa
Bagnara Calabra, Calabria, Italy
820 feet high / 250 meters high
1,181 foot span / 360 meter span
1974

2SfalassaTransportiecultura.jpg


Crisscrossing the Lucanian and Calabrian Apennines mountain range in southern Italy is the Autostrada Napoli-Reggio Calabria or A3 motorway. Built in several sections throughout the 1970s, it stretches 300 miles (483 kms) from Napoli to the tip of Italy’s boot near the island of Sicily. With dozens of tunnels and towering bridges, it is a showcase of Italian engineering. The last few miles of the motorway traverse some of the most spectacular coastal terrain in all of Italy. Crossing the deepest of these ravines is the Sfalassa gorge bridge, the highest and longest span frame bridge in the world. Rising 820 feet (250 mtrs) above the canyon floor, the bridge was the 3rd highest in the world upon its opening in 1974. The main span measures 1,181 feet (360 mtrs) between the pins of the two 500 foot (152 mtr) long angled box beam struts.

A frame bridge combines elements of an arch bridge and a beam bridge. In an arch bridge, the support follows a continuous curve from one foundation to another. In a frame bridge, the road deck is supported by two inclined piers that are straight. These two struts usually support 3 horizontal beam spans that carry the roadway on top.

To construct Sfalassa, the two struts were built vertically like a 50 story skyscraper and then lowered out over either side of the gorge to an angle of approximately 50 degrees. Held back by a large temporary truss and several cable stays, the struts finally supported the roadway after the central span was completed. The design is credited to Silvano Zorzi, Lucio Lonardo and Sabatino Procaccia.

In recent years, parts of the A3 have become congested as well as unsafe with no shoulders and curves that are too tight. Now underway is a huge reconstruction of the most troublesome stretches. New tunnels, wider curves and wider lanes and shoulders in both directions will make the original Autostrada Napoli-Reggio Calabria a thing of the past. As part of the reconstruction, Sfalassa is going to be widened as well as having both of the multi-span approach viaducts completely rebuilt. A customized traveler will move across the older 63 foot (19 mtr) wide deck and add wider wings to the cantilevered roadway, making the new Sfalassa 82 feet (25 mtr) wide. For each of the approaches, a new 3-span configuration with wider viaducts for the north and south lanes will replace the older spans.

Sfalassa gorge bridge is located just 10 miles (16 kms) from the site of the upcoming Messina bridge between the Italian mainland and the island of Sicily. When it opens in 2018, the Messina Strait crossing will contain the world’s longest bridge span and the world’s tallest bridge towers.

SfalassaFinalElev.jpg

Sfalassa Bridge Elevation


3SfalassaViadotto.jpg


4SfalassaAerial.jpg

Satellite view showing several bridges and tunnels along the A3 including Sfalassa bridge at the bottom and the coastal town of Bagnara Calabra.


5SfalassaAerial.jpg


SfalassaConstruction.jpg

Sfalassa construction procedure.


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